A United Faith Against Modern Slavery
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY THE JOINT DECLARATION OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 2 DECEMBER 2014 VATICAN CITY 77 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY FRONT COVER PHOTO by Grace Forrest A victim of #ForcedChildMarriage in India bravely shares her story with Walk Free: “Please don’t photograph my face, my in laws cannot see me like this. “I am a victim of child marriage. I was 14 years old when I was married. Since I belong to a traditional family, I am not allowed to talk to any men in the community and I must wear a veil. When I came to my in- laws house, I was forced to work as their servant everyday… When I used to live at my in laws house I saw an NGO working for the children and I asked my Father In Law if I could meet with them, and he said ‘women cannot come outside of the house, and how dare you ask me about this’. “I faced many hurdles at my in-laws house. I told my Father In Law that I wanted to teach the children who are very poor and vulnerable, that I would still do my work but I wanted also to do this. Finally he allowed me to leave for one hour at a time. I started to work in the community, especially with the very traditional families with some of the most vulnerable girls. I told them ‘if you are not ready to send your girls outside the home, its fine, we’ll come and we’ll teach your daughter.’ That way each and every daughter can live their life by their own wishes. Now I have built up trust with all families, if I recommend them something, they listen.” A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY THE JOINT DECLARATION OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 2 DECEMBER 2014 VATICAN CITY 1 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 2 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY CONTENTS Preface Page 4 The Dream Page 6 Turning the Dream into Reality: A Journey of Global Significance Page 8 Fatwa Page 12 Modern Slavery Page 14 The Global Freedom Network Page 18 Founding Parties Page 24 Affiliated Modern Slavery Initiatives Page 32 The Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery Page 36 News Throughout the World Page 40 Inspiring Words Page 42 The Future Page 54 Full Speech Transcripts Page 56 With Thanks Page 74 References Page 75 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 3 PREFACE In a progressive world, more globally of modern slavery are pervading and Communion had reached an agreement interconnected and technologically harming countless societies and people. on a global initiative. Furthermore, it was advanced than ever before, it is difficult a rare joint initiative between Sunni and to comprehend that up to 36 million This is set to change. Shia Muslim leaders. human beings are trapped in modern slavery. It is the greatest number of On Tuesday 2nd December 2014, faith The Joint Declaration recognised the slaves in history. leaders from across the world breached power of reaching humanity through cultural, religious and political divides the channels of religion; it is estimated Modern slavery, taking many tragic to come together in Vatican City to that up to 90 per cent of the world’s forms, is a blight on modern civilisation pledge an end to modern slavery and population can be influenced through that has been described as a crime human trafficking by 2020. They were faith. The solidarity of the different against humanity. Its ugly tentacles joined by leaders from many countries faiths was a symbolic demonstration stretch through almost every country in of the world, representing the business, that clarified ambiguity towards modern the world, not discriminating between political and civil sectors. slavery in various religious texts, and religion, nationality or age. Modern proclaimed once and for all that modern slavery involves the ancient forms of In a watershed event, global leaders slavery is not acceptable in the eyes of slavery itself, human trafficking, forced from the Christian Catholic, Anglican any of the great faiths, indeed, never labour, debt bondage, organ trafficking, and Orthodox religions, as well as under God. forced or servile marriage, and the sale Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim and exploitation of girls, boys, women faiths, signed the Joint Declaration The signing event signified the and men. of Religious Leaders Against Modern first step in an initiative that will Slavery. Initiated and coordinated by eventually include the engagement and Over hundreds of years, many have the Global Freedom Network, the 2nd commitment of other world religious battled the seemingly impossible task December event was historic not only for principals, sovereign, corporate and civil of ending modern slavery. In modern its definitive commitment to work across leaders, and global influencers. With times, organisations have applied their religions to eradicate modern slavery, the Global Freedom Network continuing brightest brains, backed by significant but also because it was possibly the first to guide the journey, it embodies a resources and the best intentions, to the time ever that these faith leaders had collaborative endeavour of a massive issue. Yet, on a global scale, only small met as a group, unified in a common scale that includes partnerships and dents have been made in the armoury of cause, signing their names on the same alliances with networks and groups the evil creature that is modern slavery. document. It was the first time since the working towards the same goal: that the It is a problem that continues to grow, establishment of the Catholic Church trade and exploitation of human beings largely uncensored, and particularly that the Pope had met with a Grand for commercial or personal gain must in places where poverty and greed are Ayatollah in person. In addition, it was cease. different sides of the same coin. The the first time post the Reformation moral, political and economic outcomes that the Catholic Church and Anglican 4 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY LHS FRONT ROW: Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi; Sheikh Naziyah Razzaq Jaafar representing Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Basheer Hussain al Najafi (appeared via video); Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma); Pope Francis; Venerable Bhikkhuni Thích Nu Chân Không representing Zen Master Thích Nhâť Hanh; Dr. Abbas Abdalla Abbas Soliman, Undersecretary of State of Al Azhar Alsharif representing Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb Grand Imam of Al Azhar LHS MIDDLE ROW: Andrew Forrest; Grace Forrest;The Most Ven. Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana; Rabbi Skorka; Rabbi Rosen; His Eminence Emmanuel Adamakis of France, Church of Constantinople representing His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople (appeared via video) LHS BACK ROW: Imam Omar Abboud; Archbishop Justin Welby 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 5 THE DREAM Modern slavery in all of its guises – such to spread the message far and wide that Forrest: to gain the commitment of the as human trafficking, forced labour, modern slavery is a corrupt and evil major faith leaders, working on behalf of sexual exploitation and organ trafficking abuse of core human values? their communities, towards eradicating – is endemic in many countries. It often modern slavery and signing the Joint preys on society’s most vulnerable The answers may well lie in the coming Declaration of Religious Leaders Against people, stripping them of their rights to together of religions in a united front Modern Slavery. freedom and dignity. It usually involves against slavery. If the teachings and money, corruption and widespread application of various faiths reach up to It was the first step in a vision that abuses of power. 90 per cent of the world’s population, embraces gaining the commitment of then there can be no greater way to other world leaders, including sovereign, It has long been recognised that there influence the vast majority of the world’s corporate and civil leaders, and other can be no single way to end slavery; it is population. For it will be through faith leaders, in the declaration that each a crime that must be tackled at all levels, the shifting of cultural norms and and every person is a free human being, through all networks and with a broad behaviours, complementing judicial, whether girl, boy, woman or man, and range of resources. It must be challenged supply chain and international protocol is destined to exist for the good of all in at its roots as well as dissolved in its enforcements, that sustained change will equality and fraternity. myriad of branches and channels. But occur. how to reach into the many countries and communities that harbour modern This was the dream of Australian Father Federico Lombardi holds up the signed Declaration; history is made. slavery and put an end to it? And how businessman and philanthropist Andrew The Official Party Grace Forrest meets Pope Francis 6 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY Her Holiness Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma) signs The audience Andrew Forrest signs the Declaration on behalf of the Global Freedom Network the Declaration Joy shared between Andrew Forrest and The Most Ven The Official Party Dr Abbas Sbdalla bbas Soliman signs the Declaration on behalf of the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana on the signing of the Declaration Survivor Advocate James Kofi Annan reads the Declaration in English Pope Francis receives a gift Archbishop Justin Welby signs the Declaration alongside the Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi 2 DECEMBER 2014 A UNITED FAITH AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY 7 TURNING THE DREAM INTO REALITY: A JOURNEY OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE The defeat of modern slavery is not a “FORREST THEN EMBARKED ON A goal for the faint hearted, nor is it a STRENUOUS JOURNEY TO BRING road to be travelled alone.